Improvement in fac-simile telegraphs



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F. De HDNDT, Fac-Simile Telegraphs.

Pate'nted March 24, 1874.

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Fac-Simiie Telegraphs. NRM-8,938. Patented March 24, 1874.

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UNITEE STATES PATENT @Enron FRANCIS DE HONDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FAC-SIMILE TELEGRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,938, dated March24, 1874; application filed July 15, 1873.

To all lwhom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, 'FRANCIS DE HONDT, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements inElectric-Telegraph Instruments, of Which the following` is aspecification:

This invention relates particularly to improvements incopying-telegraphs, in which the message, written in a non-conductin gink upon tinfoil, is reproduced upon chemical paper in facsimile; andthe invention consists in the construction, arrangement, andcombinations especially claimed at the close of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, Figure l is afront elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, takenfrom the right hand. Fig. 3 is a section on the line m w of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an enlarged section on the line y y of Figfl. Fig. 5 is an enlargedview of the battery-terminals and lever of the pole-chan ger detached.Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the circuit.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with particularity, makin g use, in sodoing, of the aforesaid drawings by letters of reference thereto.

I employ a single train of wheel-work, A, to each instrument in theline. This train of wheel-workmaybe supplied with power by any ordinarymeans--such as weight or spring. Upon theultimate shaft A of this trainI place a cam, a, which revolves in a slot, b, in the pivoted arm c,which carries the pair of battery-terminals d, which are thus vibratedbetween two pairs of points,c,constitutin g a mechanical polechanger,which is connected with the magnet B, causing its armature C to vibrate.(It will, of course, be understood that this armature C is a permanentmagnet.) To the end of the said ultimate shaft is affixed an adjustablecollar, f, which may be loosened and turned or moved farther in or out.To this collar is affixed a radial pin or projection, g. lUpon thevibrating armature a verge contrivance, D, is attached, in suchmannerItha-t when the verge is at rest the projection g will strikeagainst one of its jaws, and arrest the escape of the wheel-work.

Now, when a current is sent through the magnet, the train is instantlyreleased by the motion of the verge, and the pole-chan ger, coming intoplay at the same instant-because it is driven by the train-continues thevibration of the armature, and moves theverge back and forth with such atiming as to cause the teeth of the verge, each time, to pass out of theway of the projection g, and allow the wheelwork to escape steadilywithout interruption.

In working a line of instruments, it is only necessary to have apole-changer upon one of the instruments, as one is sufficient toreverse the current along the whole line. In setting up severalinstruments, some pains should be taken to have the train in each asnear alike as possible, so that they will work nearly together. Ofcourse it is impossibe to make two trains Work synchronously; but theinstrument upon which the pole-changer is placed will govern all therest, because if any other instrument goes faster, its verge willarrestit. The verges of all the instruments vibrate synchronously, aswill be readily understood from the fact that their vibration dependsupon the reversal of the current through the magnet, and this reversaltakes place through a single pole-changer, whose action is timed by thegoverning instrument.

This combination of parts for producing synchronous or equal-timedescape of several instruments is adapted not only to use in chemicalcopying-telegraphs, but it may, with good effect, be applied to printingor other telegraphs by a proper adaptation.

It will be seen that so long as the current through the magnet B remainsunbroken the equal-times vibration of the verges in all the connectedinstruments ofthe line will continue, and the several trains ofwheel-workwill escape uninterrupted, and with equal speed; but, if thecurrent is broken, the verges come to a stand-still, and immediatelyarrest the escape of the trains. The ultimate shaft will only make onehalfrevolution after the verges stop vibrating, as it will come intocontact with one or other of the jaws of the verge.

Operated by the same train of Wheel-work is a metal cylinder, E, and arevolving screw, F, lying parallel to each other. The screwF carries anarm, G, tted with a nut, h, which is hinged or halved, so that the armmay be removed when it has gone as far along as the length of the screwWill permit, and replaced at the other end, and secured by a lock-screw,fm. This arm Gis itted With a platinum style, i, which rests down uponthe surface of the revolving cylinder, and, by the two motions ofcylinder and screw, is caused to traverse the surface of said cylinderin a spiral line.

At the sendinginstrument the message, Written, in shellac or othernon-conductin g ink, upon tin-foil, is placed upon the cylinder, an atthe receiving end a piece of the Well-known sensitized or chemical paperis applied. An independent circuit, the battery of which is arrangedWith reference to a proper polarity7 is connected at one pole to theground, and from the other pole to the platinum style i, and from themetal cylinder upon which the style rests to the ground. Between thestyle and thc battery a Wire is connected, forming the main-line or longcircuit, connected to the style ofthe receivi11g-instrument, and,through its cylinder, to ground.

lVhen the style at the sending-instrument rests upon the writing inshellac, the style and cylinder are-insulated, and the current passesthrough the long circuit to the receiving-instrument, and discolors thechemical paper; but, When the style at the sending-instrument reachesthe tin-foil surface uncovered bythe ink, the current prefers the shortcircuit, and no current goes to the receiving-instruinent.

As the cylinders of the receiving and sending instruments, and thestyles also, move synchronously, the message Written upon tin-foil isreproduced in fac-simile upon the chemical paper. This employment of along and short circuit is the Well-known means of operating chemicaltelegraphs, and I do not claim to llave invented it. I simply use it incombination with a second circuit, which operates to time and regulatethe iiow of the mechanism of a train of Wheel-Work, which gives thenecessary motion to the paper, foil, and styles.

To render the removal and replacing of the metal cylinder easy, I titthe cylinder with a fixed shaft and pinion, and place it in contact withthe proper Wheel of the train, and hold it in place by a spring, in anysuitable manner.

The metal cylinder E is cut With a longitudinal slit, p, into which oneend ofthe paper or foil-being rolled around the surface of thecylinderis secured by means of two elastic bands, s s, Which may be ofrubber, or of any other suitable elastic material. These bands hold downthe paper or foil securely, and yet may be easily removed and replaced.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of an electro-magnet having a vibrating polarizedarmature, fitted With a verge and a mechanical pole-changer, operated bya train of Wheel-Work, the verge vibrating clear of the wheel-Work whenthe circuit through the magnet is unbroken, but When the circuit isbroken the Wheel-Work is arrested at a half-revolution of the shaftthereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a single train ot' wheel-Work, of an electriccircuit, which governs the escape of the train, and a transmitting ormessage-Writing mechanism, operated by the same single train,substantially as specified.

3. In an electric chemical copying-telegraph, the tivo independentcircuits, one to govern the motion of the mechanism, and the other toproduce the chemical eect, in combination with the transmitting andreceiving mechanisms, substantially as speciiied.

4. The cam-shaft A a, actuated by the trains to vibrate the lever c,carrying the battery-terminals c, the adjustable sleeve j', iitted withprojections g, and the verge-lever D, vibrated by the armature C of themagnet B, combined, arranged, and operated substantially as specied.

5. In combination with the arm or style-lever G and screw m, the jointednut h, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

FRANCIS DE HOXDT.

Vitn esscs:

JOHN W. MUNDAY, HEINR. F. BURNS.

